Best Octane Boosters In 2023 — Reviews & Buyer’s Guide

It’s so easy to focus on the aspects of our cars that we can see: how to clean it, wash frequency, wheel care, and even detailing your engine bay.

But what about those extra steps you can take to make your car the best it can be? What about the things you can’t see that can extend your vehicle’s serviceable life and make it run to the best of its abilities?

Octane boosters fall into a lesser-understood segment of the aftermarket vehicle parts world. In fact, octane boosters aren’t parts at all, but rather fuel additives that many people will tell you just don’t work.

We’re here to tell you that isn’t the case – at least not if you used the right product on the right vehicle. 

Octane boosters are created to accomplish a specific purpose, and we’re going to explore everything there is to know about them in this article, right after reviewing seven of the best octane boosters on the market today. 

Quick Links to Our Top Recommendations for the Best Octane Booster

• Royal Purple ROY11757 MAX BOOST
  • A solid option for all high-performance racing vehicles. 
• STP Octane Booster
  • While not quite as powerful as other options, this one’s street-legal and does a great job of improving your engine’s performance by cleaning the fuel intake system.
• Lucas Oil 10026-PK12 Octane Booster
  • Great for lubricating your engine’s upper cylinders – recommended for the hobbyist racer.
• Klotz Higher-Octane Booster
  • Can boost octane levels up to 10 parts, lubricates, increases power, and cleans your engine.
• BOOSTane Professional Octane Booster
  • An ethanol-free formula that will help transform your premium pump gas into a race-worthy fuel.
• 104+ 10406 Octane Boost
  • Doesn’t provide as much octane as other products but does deliver a range of other benefits.
• Torco F500010TE Unleaded Fuel Accelerator
  • A high-performance booster that will transform the components of premium pump gas into a close replica of race fuel.

Note: Clicking the above links will take you to further information, current prices, and customer reviews on Amazon.

Best Octane Boosters – A Detailed Look at Our Top 7 Recommended Products

Let’s have a detailed look at our top recommendations. Keep in mind that octane boosters are not a necessity for all vehicles – check your owner’s manual before buying and putting one to use.

Royal Purple Roy11757 Max Boost, 16 Oz

Achieving peak performance while reducing emissions is an ideal scenario for many, and with this option from Royal Purple, you can do both.

Royal Purple Max-Boost seems to be at the top of many car enthusiasts’ shopping lists, and for good reason. First and foremost, it’s a high-performance octane booster and ups the fuel octane level significantly. This, in turn, does a good job of reducing and eventually preventing knocking and pinging. What you’ll achieve is better power and fuel economy.

Engine knock due to premature detonation can wear hard on your motor. Once you eliminate that stress, your engine ends up functioning better while using less fuel. Additionally, Max-Boost offers the same effects on computer-controlled engines.

Another target this product sets out to achieve is to clean your fuel tank and engine, especially the deposits that can accrue after a while if you use a fuel injector. Max-Boost will clean those away and help prevent further build-up.

If you’re using fuel-containing lead additives, this product will work against them and provide a layer of protection for non-hardened valve seats.

Max-Boost goes well with carbureted, turbocharged, supercharged, and nitro-injected engines. You can add it to any fuel, lead or no lead, and even alternate fuels such as reformulated gasoline.

You’ll have to keep in mind that this is a racing formula and is NOT intended to be used on the street.

Manufacturers Specs and Feature List

• Bottle contains 16 fluid ounces.
• Raises octane level up to 30 points.
• Substitutes lead additives.
• Restores fuel economy and power.
• Cleans the fuel tank and reduces knocks and pinging.
• Stabilizes fuel.
• Restores power in computer-controlled cars.

What We Like

• Can raise gas mileage significantly.
• Helps clean the engine of lead substitutes.
• Restores power by reducing engine knock.
• Compatible with a range of different fuels.
• Works wonders on both new vehicles and older ones.

What We Don’t Like

• Needs to be applied regularly, so one can won’t last very long if you drive your vehicle frequently.
• Works better with regular gas than premium.
• Only legal for racing purposes, clearly advertised as “not street-legal”.

Summary

The Max-Boost is a great choice for a race enthusiast. It will help increase your gas mileage as well as your engine’s power, and it also works well with different fuels.

Check Price at Amazon

Stp Octane Booster (5.25 Fluid Ounces)

This 2-in-1 booster from STP is a firm favorite, and many car enthusiasts swear by it. It does all the right an octane booster should do. Notably, it does a great job of improving your engine’s performance by cleaning the fuel intake system.

When the amount of octane increases, compression takes place at a much higher temperature. This ends up loosening all the gunk and residue that previously decreased your vehicle’s performance.

Once your engine becomes clean, this leads to generating more horsepower and better acceleration. Additionally, this will also prevent knock or pinging.

This product is meant for regular use, meaning that you should use it every time you fill up with gas. It comes in a 5.25-ounce bottle, and you’ll receive 12 of these in this pack.

Manufacturers Specs and Feature List

• A case of 12 bottles.
• Each bottle contains 5.25 ounces.
• Compatible with cap-free gas systems.
• Cleans the engine.
• Increases horsepower and acceleration.

What We Like

• Reduces engine knock and pinging.
• Increases compression temperature.
• Comes in 12 separate bottles.

What We Don’t Like

• Not quite as powerful as other boosters. This isn’t necessarily a drawback, though, since many people need something less powerful.

Summary

This option from STP is excellent for the average car enthusiast looking to cleanse and boost an old engine. It works well on increasing the octane level as well as improving performance and horsepower.

Check Price at Amazon

Lucas Oil 10026-Pk12 Octane Booster – 15 Oz

If you’re looking to improve your engine’s pistons, then this octane booster from Lucas Oil will do just that, and a little more.

Lucas Oil’s booster contains ingredients that will work to lubricate the engine’s upper cylinders, which is essential for a smooth-running engine. Once the upper cylinders are lubricated, it ensures that the pistons move smoother and more efficiently. This, in turn, provides protection for the valve seats.

This product will improve your engine’s performance mainly due to the lubrication, but also due to the increased levels of octane. Lucas Oil underlines the fact that their product has been tested, and then proven, to boost levels significantly.

You can use it with just about any grade fuel, but it’s only meant for four-stroke engines. These include engines with turbos, catalytic converters, and O2 sensors. 

For the environmentally-friendly driver, this option will also work to reduce emissions, which it does by promoting a cleaner fuel burn. However, and just like some of the other products on this list, this booster isn’t street-legal due to its high potency. It’s only meant for the racetrack and other places away from public roads.

Manufacturers Specs and Feature List

• 15-ounce bottle, sold in packs of 12.
• Lubricating components.
• Prompts a cleaner fuel burn.
• Compatible with any four-stroke engine.

What We Like

• Seems to significantly raise the level of octane.
• Helps make the engine run smoother.
• Prevents knock and pinging.
• Reduces emissions.

What We Don’t Like

• Not street-legal.

Summary

This is an excellent choice for the hobby racer. It will provide adequate lubrication, as well as promote a cleaner fuel burn.

Check Price at Amazon

Klotz Octane Booster 128 Ounce Gallon

If you’re looking to maximize your engine’s power and performance, then this option from Klotz is excellent. It’s for the car enthusiast looking to up their racing game.

This product consists of a concentrated tetraethyl lead substitute. This special formula will increase your motor octane rating by up to 10.

What’s more, you can actually use this product for two other purposes as well.

First, let’s say you’re planning to leave your car in storage over the winter, for which you’ll need a fuel stabilizer. You can use the Klotz octane booster for this to prevent issues that may arise from storage. The booster does this by stabilizing both the ethanol and the oxygenated components in the fuel.

The other thing you can do with this booster is clean your fuel. Once you use it, this will help prevent and eliminate detonation, pre-ignition, pinging, and knock.

Another great feature is that it creates a stable combustion chamber by modifying the flash point and burn speed of the gas. Once the chambers have a stable flame front, this enables you to maximize your horsepower and performance. Its tetraethyl lead substitute also adds lubrication.

You can use it in any car with a two-stroke or four-stroke engine, using any gasoline, synthetic lubricants, or petroleum oils. That said, most agree that it works best in older engines.

Manufacturers Specs and Feature List

• 1-gallon can.
• Will lubricate, increase power, and clean the engine.
• Works as a fuel stabilizer for storage.
• Consists of a tetraethyl lead substitute.
• Boosts octane number by 10.

What We Like

• Helps eliminate detonation, knock, pinging, and pre-ignition.
• Works well for a variety of engines.
• Will keep fuel safe during storage.
• Works well with other additives, such as synthetic lubricants, petroleum oils, and various types of gasoline.

What We Don’t Like

• Might ruin the paint job on your vehicle. Wipe it off any spills as fast as possible.
• Not a suitable option for cars with oxygen sensors.

Summary

If you’re looking for a multipurpose product, then this might be just the right option for you.

During racing season, this will do what it’s supposed to do to increase your engine’s power – and when it’s time for storage, you can use it as a fuel stabilizer as well.

Check Price at Amazon

Boostane Professional Octane Booster (Quart Bottle)

Next on our list, we have one from BOOSTane. This is yet another “magical” concoction that will help transform your premium pump gas into a race-worthy fuel.

One noteworthy fact about this product is that it’s a SEMA LaunchPad product of the year. 

BOOSTane Professional contains no ethanol, which is good news since this chemical can cause corrosion of the engine’s components. One great thing that BOOSTane does is provide a layer of protection against ethanol. Once you use it, it will work against the side effects that come with ethanol use. Instead of wearing your engine down, it will help lubricate it so it can run smoothly.

Once your engine receives lubrication, it aids in the prevention of deposits, corrosion, and flaky sediment build-up. This, in turn, will keep the engine going for longer, as well as help improve its performance.

A little bonus feature is the app from BOOSTane, available from the iTunes store. Here, you’ll find the exact measurements of octane that you can add to your engine.

Depending on the vehicle you’re using it for, it can raise the octane rating as high as 116. Additionally, you can use it on nearly all gasoline engines – but be sure to double-check with yours first to make sure.

Manufacturers Specs and Feature List

• 32 fluid ounces.
• Ethanol-free.
• Suitable for almost all gasoline engines.

What We Like

• It’s ethanol-free and works against the negative side effects of this chemical.
• Will help lubricate the engine while preventing corrosion and other damage.
• Works with nearly every gasoline engine.
• Award-winning product. 

What We Don’t Like

• While the app is certainly a great addition and idea, it could use a bit more work.

Summary

If you’re looking to rejuvenate your engine while increasing overall performance, then the BOOSTane Professional is an excellent choice to consider – both for lubricating and protecting.

Check Price at Amazon

104+ 10406 Octane Boost, 16 Fl. Oz.

This is the original (and perhaps first) octane booster – and it’s perfect for the average car enthusiast.

The 104+ goes back all the way to 1975, when it was among the first of its kind. The company behind the 104+ is Gold Eagle, which was founded in 1932 by Armin Hirsch. These guys were the pioneers in the market and key producers of additives and aftermarket fluids for vehicles.

A few things the 104+ is known for excelling in are superior octane-boosting power, improving acceleration, and increasing your mileage.

After some time using this product, you’ll notice that it does a great job of cleaning your vehicle’s fuel system, even if you’ve got fuel injectors. In fact, it will help clean the entire system, while still being sensitive to oxygen sensors and catalytic converters.

Gold Eagle recommends that you use a whole bottle with a fuel tank of untreated gas. A huge plus is that this product is suitable for any type of gasoline, even those containing ethanol. However, it’s not street-legal, so keep it off road!

Manufacturers Specs and Feature List

• 16-ounce bottle.
• Will boost power.
• Improves gas mileage.
• Cleans the fuel injectors.
• Minimizes pinging, knock, and hesitation.
• Safe for O2 sensors and catalytic converters.

What We Like

• Improves power and acceleration.
• Cleans the whole fuel system.
• Compatible with different types of fuel.
• Boosts gas mileage.
• Works well with low-speed carburetor jets.

What We Don’t Like

• You might need to apply a lot of it for good results. For bigger engines, you may need to use two bottles each time you fill up with gas.
• Doesn’t provide as much octane as other products.

Summary

If you’re looking to give your engine a boost from a product designed by a pioneering company that delivers on quality, then this could be a suitable option for you.

Check Price at Amazon

Torco F500010te Unleaded Fuel Accelerator

If you’re driving a high-performance car or motorcycle, then this should be of particular interest to you. The Torco Accelerator sounds like a magic potion, and we could argue that it is. It’s an option that will quite simply transform the components of premium pump gas into a close replica of race fuel.

Torco even advertises it as a concentrate of their race fuel. It’s an unleaded blend containing several of the same additives they use for their winning race fuel. In short, it will increase the potential of premium pump gas.

Oftentimes while accelerating using a sub-par gas, an engine can experience what is known as a “knock.” Torco Accelerator can help eliminate that by simulating race fuel. This will, in turn, optimize your vehicle’s performance.

Depending on your engine, adding 32 ounces of Torco to five gallons of gas can raise the octane as high as 105. It lowers the temperature of the end burn which triggers a domino effect of sorts and makes your car more fuel efficient.

The new-found fuel efficiency will up your engine’s horsepower and release most, if not all, of its potential. This means you can reach a higher speed with less wear on your engine.

However, Torco is not the best choice for your everyday car. It’s designed for high-performance engines such as race cars, street racers, and motorcycles. You can also use it if you have smaller machines like snowmobiles, ATVs and UTVs, and watercraft.

It even works with modified engines that have been carbureted, turbocharged, or supercharged – yet it’s still mild enough to keep a sensitive catalytic converter or O2 sensor safe.

Manufacturers Specs and Feature List

• 32 ounces in the can.
• Contains race fuel additives.
• For high-performance engines.
• Safe for oxygen sensors.

What We Like

• Car performs better
• Improved fuel efficiency.
• Excellent for modified engines.
• It’s even reported to work well on older engines.
• Unleaded blend.
• Mild enough for sensitive O2 sensors and catalytic converters.

What We Don’t Like

• Not the most suitable option for everyday cars.
• When used long term, it may create an orange residue on the engine’s spark plugs.

Summary

For a car or bike enthusiast with a high-performance vehicle, this octane booster from Torco is an awesome choice. You can rely on it to help make your engine more fuel efficient while improving its performance, giving you that edge you’ve been looking for.

Check Price at Amazon

What Is Octane?

Octane is the measure of how much compression a fuel can withstand before igniting.

In the United States, the most common octane ratings are 87 for regular unleaded, 91 for premium, and 93 for super premium. European octane ratings are a little different and are measured in RON, which stands for Research Octane Numbers.

Regardless of how it’s measured, higher-octane fuel is generally needed for higher-performance vehicles as their engines run at higher temperatures. This necessitates that combustion occurs at a higher temperature to reduce premature detonation or engine knock.

What Does an Octane Booster Do?

Octane boosters do several different jobs at once.

Some have different strengths depending on the type of engine and the circumstances for which they are to be used.

Generally speaking, they serve to reduce engine knock caused by inconsistent, premature, or unstable detonation within the cylinder of an engine. Most also serve secondary purposes of increasing fuel efficiency, cleaning spark plug heads, increasing cylinder head lubricity, and increasing engine power/performance.

All of these occur as a result of reducing engine knock and making an engine run smoothly.

Watch this video to learn more about engine knock and how octane boosters prevent this.

Is Using an Octane Booster Important?

Octane boosters are not needed for most normal vehicles but can play a vital role in high-performance and race vehicles.

Despite any fuel’s given octane rating, a low-quality fuel or incorrect mixture can make an engine run poorly. If engine knock occurs, severe damage to the engine and its components can also occur as a result.

An octane booster can put a stop to premature or even detrimental damage already done to an engine.

What Are the Benefits of Using Octane Boosters?

There are quite a few secondary benefits provided by using an octane booster in your vehicle.

Improved Performance

When used properly, a quality octane booster will improve the overall performance of your car.

Most of these products will not cause a noticeable difference in performance – however, very few boosters do create a slightly noticeable torque improvement resulting in greater acceleration and less throttle jerking.

A Cleaner-Burning Engine

Simply put, when your fuel octane boosts up and compression occurs at a higher temperature, residue, and gunk tend to be loosened and blown out the exhaust at those higher temperatures.

Additives accompanying a specific formula also help rid the engine of buildup.

Provides Cylinder Lubrication

Some products contain additional additives that lubricate the cylinder walls of the combustion chamber. This aids in making an engine run smoothly, though not all products feature this type of benefit.

Optimizes Compression

By ridding the combustion chamber of persistent engine knock and premature detonation, boosters ensure that each piston reaches its optimum compression ratio by detonating the air-fuel mixture at the exact top-dead-center position of each piston.

Vehicles with high-compression engines also need either high-octane fuel or to use an octane booster in their low-octane fuel to avoid engine knocking. 

Cleaner Spark Plugs

Spark plugs aren’t immune to carbon buildup and other forms of caked-on debris. Much like the previous sections, the additives in some formulations and the additional heat due to higher octane levels can blast excess buildup away.

Improved Fuel Efficiency

A clean burning engine, optimum compression, and an engine that is allowed to function without stress to its systems will naturally produce better fuel efficiency.  This is potentially one of the most profound effects an octane booster can have.

Increased Longevity of Engine

Engine knock due to premature or inconsistent detonation causes immense amounts of stress and pressure on an engine’s components.

Stabilizing the fuel and enhancing optimum detonation causes less wear on each component and can increase overall longevity, resulting in fewer repair costs in the future. A good booster will preserve your engine better than premium fuel.

Are There Any Drawbacks to Using Octane Boosters?

It isn’t for no reason that many people say these products don’t work. Many of them aren’t used properly, some are very difficult to use if you’re not a mechanic who knows what they’re doing, and others just don’t provide a significant enough difference that one wouldn’t simply choose a high-octane gasoline.

Many are designed to work with very specific engines and most won’t work with anything but high-performance engines. Some don’t even deliver on their guaranteed results from the manufacturer.

All this means that there are more people than not who just believe that octane boosters are simply not worth it. Not to mention they can cost quite a bit of money.

Some booster additives can even harm parts of your vehicle like the oxygen sensors and catalytic converters. Many modern octane boosters don’t, but you need to know which ones are easier on your vehicle to avoid this problem.

We can’t emphasize enough that they do work, but they must be utilized properly and used in the right circumstance to get the benefits.

What Types of Octane Boosters Are Available?

Octane boosters tend to be separated by their main active ingredients. There are also certain products that combine other fuel additives to try and accomplish more than one objective. Some contain lubricants, while others add fuel stabilizers for long-term inactivity.

The following is a list of different ingredients used in octane boosters that differentiate these products from one another.

Methylcyclopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl (Mmt)

MMT is the most common, modern, and safest ingredient in most octane boosters today.

These types have replaced the dated and rather unsafe lead boosters used in the past.

MMT is much more environmentally friendly as well.

Tetraethyl Lead

The oldest form of octane booster, tetraethyl lead, not only raised octane ratings in fuel, its byproducts also formed a protective coating on some of the internal gaskets and seals of the compression chamber, extending the life of some components.

Now mostly defunct and illegal, many lead products (including leaded gasoline) aren’t sold to the public due to the health risks it poses.

Ethanol

Ethanol is common in race car motors. E85 fuel is becoming easier to find at large gas stations around the country.

Because of ethanol’s chemical makeup, it tends to make your vehicle’s engine run leaner than normal.

Modifications to the fuel injection system are sometimes necessary to ensure that a vehicle receives the correct amount of fuel.

Be careful not to misuse this – the negative effects of ethanol on your vehicle are real!

Other Ingredients

A compound called Forrence, which forms iron oxide during combustion, isn’t widely used due to its abrasive nature.

It has been known to cause engine breakdown and extensive damage to components.

Other types of alcohol can be used in place of ethanol. However, they are often much more dangerous than when compared to other types of boosters.

What Should I Look for in the Best Octane Boosters?

To prevent damage to your engine and your wallet, make sure you take some extra factors into account when doing your shopping.

Engine Compatibility

Most normal family cars and trucks won’t need octane boosters to help them run correctly, though adding this into the mix won’t necessarily hurt, either.

Higher-performance engines, like those with high horsepower, turbochargers, or superchargers generally benefit more from boosters.

Some products are designed to work in just about every engine, but some are designed more specifically for race cars, boats, and even airplanes. Read the product description to see if it’s usable in your vehicle.

Most modern cars have what is known as a knock sensor. Vehicle computers are very advanced and can make adjustments to combustion should engine knock occur. Because of this, older vehicles with less technology often benefit much more from octane boosters than modern vehicles.

Because they are simpler, this also means that older vehicles will need to be manually tuned to get the best out of any product you choose while modern vehicles can usually make an automated adjustment on their own.

Engine knock is still very hard on internal components and even a modern ECU can only make so many adjustments.

Cost

Octane boosters are often expensive. A healthy argument could be made for using a higher-octane pump gas rather than fuel additives in regular gas. If you can’t afford it, pump gas may be a better solution for you.

Purpose

What is your motivation for using a product like this?

If you like to race other cars, they can be great. If your car is running roughly, it may be a less expensive alternative to opening the engine and fixing the problem. If you simply want your car to go faster, an octane booster isn’t going to be a good solution.

What Is the Difference Between an Octane Booster and a Fuel Stabilizer?

Some products do offer a combination of octane boosters and stabilizers, but the two aren’t the same – even though they’re commonly mistaken for the same thing.

An octane booster produces many different results for an actively running engine. Fuel stabilizers act passively for a vehicle that will be sitting for an extended period of time.

Just like so many other things, fuel can go bad – modern gasoline has many more additives and blend types that break down and separate over time. Fuel gets solidified quicker as parts separate, similar to Italian dressing as the oils rise to the top of the bottle.

Fuel stabilizers prevent separation of the fuel’s components by the use of antioxidants, enabling your vehicle to sit longer without being started and starting properly after long periods of engine inactivity.

Another difference is in the way both products should be used. Octane boosters usually need to be added several times over an extended period when filling up your gas tank, while fuel stabilizers are added just before storage and extended periods of engine inactivity.

Conclusion

Still wondering what’s the best octane booster for your car? The short answer: It’s the one you understand, the one that best fits your engine, and the one that you can afford, even if that simply means filling up your car with premium gas next time you stop at the gas station.

We don’t recommend getting any kind of octane booster just for the sake of getting one, nor because you think your car will sprout jet engines.

Octane boosters are nothing to take lightly. A little bit of research will go a long way in preventing undue damage to your engine and will ensure you get the results that you actually need!